


Arsenic, Ghosts, and Other Side Effects of Fame

by monogramsalarm



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Poisoning, celebrity chef taako, eating disorder mentioned, ghost Kravitz
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29297652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monogramsalarm/pseuds/monogramsalarm
Summary: Taako had almost everything: friends and family who loved and supported him, a successful cooking show, more money than he’d be comfortable admitting to anyone, and a heaping helping of fame that followed him wherever he went. But while making his signature recipe, something went terribly wrong. His assistant added a little something extra into the sauce, which sent Taako to the hospital and into a long recovery, where he’d have to give up his spotlight.After months of struggling in recovery, trying to come to terms with his temporary loss of fame, Taako moves out of the city to take some time for himself. He thought it would just be some time off the grid, some peace and quiet outside of Neverwinter. What he didn’t expect was for his new home to be haunted. And what’s worse, the ghost was really cute and charming, and Taako may or may not have become smitten almost overnight.
Relationships: Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

Everything happened so fast. Taako didn’t notice Sazed putting something extra in the sauce for his famous thirty garlic clove chicken, and apparently neither did the live studio audience. Grinning to the cameras as he plated the chicken, adding the savory sauce for the side, Taako took a big bite, then furrowed his brows. The sauce tasted much sweeter than it had just a few moments beforehand, but he didn’t think much of it.

“Could use a little salt to taste, but this is some damn good homemade chicken!” He did his usual review of the recipe, waving goodbye to the crowd, and headed offstage. Sazed caught up with him, looking him over expectantly.

“So, how’d I do this time? Good sauce, right?” He noticed Taako starting to look uncomfortable, placing a hand on his stomach.

“Actually, it was a little too sweet. Did you put some weird ingredient in when I… Wasn’t…” Taako trailed off, feeling his stomach start cramping even more. His hands started to shake and his head was spinning as he nearly collapsed in pain. His stomach convulsed violently and his heart began to race. “Fuck…” He muttered to himself as Lup rushed over from backstage to catch her brother.

“Koko, what’s wrong?” She brushed his hair back, looking him over worriedly. He winced in pain once more and his hands shook as he reached for the nearby trash can, emptying the contents of his stomach as the pain continued. “Can someone call an ambulance?!” Lup called out, trying to help Taako off of the set.

“I think… Something in the food…” He groaned, his head spinning even more. “Fucking christ, Sazed, what’d you do—“ Sazed took off before he could finish his sentence. Lup noticed a tiny bottle fall out of Sazed’s apron as he ran to the other side of the set and furrowed her brows as her brother’s trembling body collapsed. Lup kneeled beside him and picked up the bottle, seeing it labeled arsenic. She froze, jumping up and helping Taako to his feet. 

“Shit, shit, shit.” She looked over to the stage manager to her left, who was currently on the phone. “Tell them it’s arsenic poisoning, I’ll try to get him to the front of the building.”

“Hey, let me help,” Taako’s best friend and self-appointed bodyguard Magnus ran over, carefully picking Taako up. Normally, Taako would’ve protested Magnus picking him up, but he could barely speak, let alone shove him away. 

“Thanks, big guy…” Taako muttered, feeling like his mouth was full of marbles. His heart continued racing and he felt everything around him growing ever-blurrier. “Lulu…” He struggled to get out, weakly reaching towards his sister. “I love you…” He murmured, hoping it wasn’t the last time he’d be able to say it to her. She gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand.

“I know, I love you too. You’re gonna be okay, Koko. Don’t worry.” Her voice sounded hoarse, like she was holding back tears. His vision completely blurred and he went limp in Magnus’ arms.

Taako’s eyes fluttered open and he felt like his insides were burning. Which, to be fair, they probably had been. He gently pushed himself up in the hospital bed, feeling a stomach cramp as he shifted, and groaned. Lup looked up from her phone where she sat across the room and ran over, hugging him the best that she could from his position. He shakily wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder.

“Lulu, I don’t feel so hot…” Taako muttered. She gently rubbed his back, looking him over for a moment.

“It’s been almost two days, I was worried you were going to be out for a lot longer…” Lup kissed the top of his head. “Glad you’re awake, ‘Ko,”

“Two days? Feels like it was… I dunno, twenty minutes?” Taako furrowed his brows.

“Do you remember anything that happened before you lost consciousness?”

“Just that I did the show, Sazed asked how he was doing, and then everything went to shit and I threw up and felt like I was dying,” he leaned back in the bed once more. “I can’t remember if I’d passed out by then, but I think Mags carried me outside after that?"

“Yeah, that all happened.” She sat down on a chair beside the bed. “Sazed poisoned you, Taako. He put arsenic in the food and you were the only one who tasted it.”

“T-thank god it wasn’t a sample show…” He muttered to himself. “Did they find him? I know he took off while I was slightly dying.”

“They haven’t yet, but they’re on the lookout for him. And Mags promised that he’d stay at your apartment with you until they do catch him, just in case he was _really_ out to get you.”

“Is Magnus here?” Taako tried pushing himself up again, then doubled over in pain. Lup brushed his hair out of his face, giving him a small smile.

“He’s in the waiting room with Barry and Ren. Only one of us was allowed to be in the room with you until you woke up, so you weren’t overwhelmed. Do you want me to let them know you’re up and asking about them?” Taako nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I wanna see them. Let ‘em know I’m not dead,” he snorted. Lup left the room and his weak smile faded as he clutched his stomach uncomfortably. It wasn’t like it was sharp pain while he was sitting still, but it was a constant ache that carried on no matter how relaxed he made his position. He noticed Lup left a hair tie on the table beside his bed and he picked it up, pulling up his hair the best he could while his arms were trembling and his IV threatened to get tangled up in his bun. After struggling for a bit, he gave up and sighed. There was a soft knock on the door, and a familiar face peeked into the room.

“Hey, Mags,” Taako waved, yawning slightly. An expression of relief crossed Magnus’ face and he walked over to the seat Lup had abandoned by his bed, gently taking Taako’s hand.

“You feelin’ okay, Tay?” Magnus looked him over, trying to mask his worry.

“Eh, stomach feels like shit but I’m alive,” he squeezed Magnus’ hand. Taako moved to attempt to put his hair up again and whined in annoyance when his hands shook too badly. Magnus cracked a small smile, carefully taking the hair tie and pulling hair into a messy bun. “You don’t gotta worry about ol’ Taako, I’ll be up and bugging you for piggyback rides again in no time.”

“I’ll make sure I always offer my services as a human chauffeur. Get some cushy shoulder pads or somethin’ special to make it more comfy for you.” Magnus teased lightly. Taako noticed his expression was still slightly worried and he carefully pushed himself up, not breaking eye contact with Magnus.

“Hey, look at me, buddy… I’m okay, I’ll make it out of here,” he gently brushed Magnus’ hair out of his face. “I know the last time someone you cared about was in my position, it didn’t end well. But I promise you you’re not gonna lose your best friend too.” Taako felt his stomach turn and clenched his jaw slightly, not wanting Magnus to worry any more than he already was.

“Yeah… Sorry, I know you don’t want to carry my baggage while you’re not feeling great.” Magnus tried to smile apologetically.

“Don’t apologize, Mags. I’m probably gonna throw up a little more frequently and probably have a restricted diet now, but Taako’s not going anywhere except back to my apartment the second I can.” Taako punched his arm playfully, realizing how weak he felt.

“I’ll change my diet in solidarity.” Magnus grinned, letting out a deep breath as well as the tension in his shoulders. “Unless you gotta stop eating teriyaki jerky, then you’re on your own.” Taako rolled his eyes playfully and they heard another knock on the door. Ren poked her head in, waving.

“If y’all are having a bromance moment, I can wait in the hall for a bit,” Ren giggled to herself. “I just wanted to bring you a “Sorry You Almost Died” gift.” She reached into her purse, pulling out a small wrapped present. “It’s stupid, but I know you’ve been complaining about your phone lately,” she explained. “So, I got you the new one. I was gonna wait a few months until your birthday, but I figured now was the best time to give it to you.”

“Ren, you’re the coolest fucking friend ever, I hope you know that.” Taako beamed in her direction, carefully opening the box to reveal a new phone.

“Damn how can my friendship compete with a new phone?” Magnus shook his head.

“You can call me on this and so I’ll be receiving your gift of friendship _and_ using the kickass present from Ren.” Taako laughed. “Two birds with one stone ‘n all that.”

“Are you gonna put the show on hiatus until further notice? I heard Lup talking about wanting you to have a long enough break to take it easy.” Ren spoke up.

“I, uh… I hadn’t thought about it, Lup didn’t tell me that,” Taako furrowed his brows for a moment, deep in thought.

“Well, whatever you choose, I’ll be here supporting you. If you need a new assistant for the show, I can break out my Sizzle It Up apron from the YouTube days.” Ren winked, shooting him a finger gun. “Haven’t used it in almost five years since you’ve upgraded the equipment for the show.”

“Fuck, has it been five years since we switched to the show?” Taako laughed incredulously. “How are we getting so old?”

“Speak for yourself, I still look 23,” she giggled. “I can go from co-creator to cooking assistant if that’s what you need.”

“Take a break from making the recipes, just, y’know, host the whole show instead.” Taako grinned, then felt a sudden sharp pain and doubled over, clutching his stomach as he winced.

“Hey, why don’t you get some more rest? Me ‘n Ren can come back tomorrow once you’ve slept a little bit more,” Magnus looked him over. “We could use the sleep too, we’ve been here for a while.”

“Make sure Lup goes with you,” Taako kept his eyes closed while he waited for the pain to pass. “I feel like she didn’t sleep while I was out.”

“She didn’t, I’ll make sure she gets some sleep.” Magnus gave Taako a soft kiss to his forehead. “We’ll all get some sleep, ‘n then we can talk about what’s next. But rest is more important.”

“Mmhmm…” Taako nodded in agreement. His body trembled, but he forced his eyes open as he mustered a smile towards his friends. “Love you both.”

“We love you too, Taako,” Ren beamed and the two of them left the room. Taako closed his eyes again and felt himself drifting back off to sleep. Just talking with his friends exhausted him, and he was worried it wasn’t going to be an easy road to recovery ahead of him. But this was the hand he was dealt, so he just had to take it as it came.

When he woke up, the room was dark. He squinted and scanned the room for anyone else, then noticed a familiar face on the couch across the room. An instinctive smile spread across Taako’s face as he yawned.

“You awake, Barold?” Taako whisper-yelled. Barry shot up as if he were just dozing off, and laughed a little.

“Welp, I am now,” he stretched, adjusting his glasses. “Lu’s back at home, in case you were wondering. I made her stay to get some rest.” 

“Good, I figured she needed it. Considering she didn’t leave from the time I got here until I woke up.” Taako rubbed his eyes. “How’re things going in the professional world? You’re my PR guy, I know it’s definitely been hell for you, huh?”

“Only a little. The worst is trying to get the point across that we don’t have a set date for you to come back because you’re, y’know, hospitalized.” Barry shook his head as he stood up, taking a seat in the chair closest to the bed. “Sometimes the press doesn’t think questions through before asking.”

“Lup, um… She mentioned to Ren that she might want the show to go on hiatus so I can have a little bit of a break. How do you feel about that?” Taako chewed his lip.

“As your PR guy? It’ll be a little bit of a pain to set up, but I can manage just fine. As your brother in law, I want you to take a break more than anything,” Barry shot him a small smile.

“I’ll at least be at home for the next month. ‘Specially since I feel like shit and can barely hold

myself up.” Taako sighed. “Have they found Sazed yet?”

“He gave himself up this morning, actually.” Barry looked him over for a moment, trying to read his expression. “Why’d you ask?”

“I just thought the guy would’ve ran as long as he could.” He toyed with the thin hospital blanket, trying to keep his hands from shaking. “It’s what I’d have done if I was in his position.” Barry picked up Taako’s hands, giving them a gentle squeeze.

“He’s going to be locked up, I’ve dealt with most of the media for you already, all you have to do is take it easy until you feel well enough to start getting back to normal,” Barry paused, looking him over. “You don’t have to continue the show, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Taako cocked his head in confusion.

“I mean, if you don’t feel like you want to do Sizzle It Up after you’ve recovered, you don’t have to. You can move on to something else, leave the spotlight entirely, or even just be on staff if the show goes on with another host. No one’s expecting you to _have_ to keep this up. And I’m not just saying all of this as your brother in law. I’m also saying it as your PR guy, who wants you to have a good look for the general public.”

“I… I’ll keep that in mind,” Taako sighed, laying back.

“Whatever makes you happy, we’re all going to support you one-hundred percent.” Barry gently nudged him. “You should get some more sleep, okay? You don’t have to think about any of this for now.”“You’re right,” he let out a deep breath. Barry’s words kept echoing in his mind and he couldn’t help but wonder if he really _did_ want to keep doing the show once he’d finished recovery. For then, he tucked it back in his mind and opted to focus on falling back asleep instead. There wasn’t much he could do about the show from his hospital bed, so it wasn’t something he had to worry about for at least the next few days.


	2. Chapter 2

“Jesus Christ, Mags…” Taako muttered as Magnus lifted him bridal-style at the front entrance to the hospital. “I can walk just fine, I’ve been doing it since I got out of bed this morning. And yesterday, and the day before that.” It had only been three days since he’d woken up, but Taako was dying to get out of that hospital. His stomach definitely protested, but he knew he just had to deal with some extra discomfort while getting home. Lup had already pulled the car around, and currently, his only obstacle was his best friend insisting on carrying him the entire ten feet it would take to get to the car.

“Tay, I promised to be your personal chauffeur. Lup stole my job by insisting on driving you home, so I’m carrying you to and from the car.” Magnus grinned, shifting to carry Taako more comfortably as they walked to the car.

“Please don’t do this outside my apartment, people are gonna see…” He sighed in resignation. Luckily, they hadn’t seen many people with cameras nearby. He knew the same couldn’t be said for his apartment. He didn’t think of himself as a big celebrity, until people were constantly finding out where he was and snapping photos of him when he was out and about in Neverwinter. It was hell; he couldn’t have a moment with family, he’d had multiple dates with guys go completely south, and he felt like his friends never wanted to go out because of it. And to top it all off, his apartment building had been leaked, and there was always  _ someone _ with a camera and a microphone just waiting for the perfect moment.

“Oh, of course not. But once we’re in the elevator, I’m picking you up again,” Magnus teased. He set Taako down beside the car and hopped into the backseat, letting Taako sit in the front with Lup.

“Get in losers, we’re going to get you back in bed.” Lup yelled out as Taako opened the passenger door, a small smile spreading across his face.

“Might switch things up, I might feel wild and crash on the couch instead. Who knows, I’m unpredictable.” Taako leaned back against the headrest as he braced himself for intense car sickness from the ten minute drive. The drive was uncharacteristically quiet. Usually, Lup or Magnus would be loudly and passionately singing along with the radio, but it just played at a low volume in the background. It was a welcome change, though. Taako already felt awful as it was, hearing his favorite people’s bad singing would’ve made it so much worse, as endearing as it was. Lup pulled the car towards Taako’s apartment building and sighed.

“Shit… There’s a lot of people,” she shook her head. “You wanna go to mine and Barry’s place instead? Or just ignore them and head inside.”

“Just ignore them. I guarantee someone would follow you home if we bailed now.” Taako sat up, throwing a set of sunglasses on to hide his exhausted eyes with the dark circles. She pulled up to the curb and parked, and Magnus hopped out of the car first, picking up the overnight bag they’d packed for Taako. Cameras flashed, but Taako didn’t pay them any mind. He was just focused on getting from the car up to the steps without tripping on his own feet or throwing up once more. The second they made it into the building and closed the elevator doors behind them, Taako collapsed to lean against Magnus.

“Did great, Tay.” Magnus carefully wrapped an arm around Taako to keep him upright. “Just a little bit further and you can collapse on your couch and not worry about moving until you have to use the bathroom at some point tonight.”

“Mmhm, I’m just trying not to throw up on your Timbs right now, my guy.” Taako sighed as he stared at his boots. Magnus noticed him starting to shake and pushed his hair out of his face.

“You can just get me a new pair if you do, no worries,” he joked lightly, smiling once Taako let out a shaky laugh. Taako knew he was doing his best to cheer him up despite everything, and just wanted to put on a brave face to keep Magnus from worrying any more than he already had. The two of them made their way to Taako’s apartment, and Taako immediately flopped face down onto the couch in the living room. He pulled a crocheted blanket from the top of the couch and covered his head, groaning.

“Hey Magnus?” Taako mumbled. “Wanna do me a solid?”

“What’s up, buddy?” Magnus chuckled, sitting down on the arm of the couch. Taako slightly lifted his head up to talk clearer.

“Could you turn some mindless show on? Something we’ve seen too many times like uh… “The Office” or something like that? Just so I have some kind of normal background noise to fall asleep to,” he gave a sheepish smile, knowing Magnus probably couldn’t see him under the blanket. He heard the intro beginning to play, and immediately felt more relaxed, dropping his head back down. Another blanket was gently placed on top of him and he curled up before closing his eyes and letting his mind go blank as the familiar episode played quietly in the background.

Taako didn’t know when he’d fallen asleep, but by the time he woke up, it was completely dark, save for the glow from the tv and the lights coming in from the kitchen. He pushed himself up and covered his mouth, suddenly feeling the need to run off towards the bathroom. After camping out on the cold floor for a few minutes too long, Taako heard a soft knock at the door.

“Need anything, Koko?” Lup’s voice was quiet, not trying to overwhelm him. “Mags went home, it’s just the two of us here so you don’t have to try and be tough.”

“Nah, but you can come in if you wanna,” Taako called out, resting his back against the bathtub. Lup opened the door, saw his position, and walked away for a moment. When she returned, she had a pillow and his bright purple water bottle in her hands. She gently tucked the pillow behind him so he was no longer resting on a hard surface, and set the bottle down on his lap.

“Dads are coming over tomorrow. Both of ‘em, they’ve been out of town for the last week and feel bad about it. They wanna come check in tomorrow, then do dinner the next day.” Lup sat beside him, pulling her knees to her chest. Taako scooted over and rested his head on her shoulder, quietlysitting there together for a moment. “You hungry? I heard you run in here a little bit ago, your empty stomach might be ready for some food.”

“Yeah, I’m just hoping I can keep something down for once,” Taako pushed himself up. He leaned against the wall for a moment to take a drink of his water. “Thanks, Lup. I appreciate you being here.”

“Any time, Taako. The studio’s bugging me and Barry to head back in soon to discuss the show, but for the rest of the week, we’re yours.” She walked ahead to the kitchen, Taako walking in just in time to see her throw a container of cream of chicken soup into a pot to heat up. “I know you’d usually want to cook it yourself, but for now I want you to just take it as easy as you can.”

“No arguments from me here,” Taako sat at the table. “Might not taste as good, but I’m gonna deal with it for now.” He looked over at her, letting out a soft chuckle. “Besides, it’s probably coming back up anyways, don’t wanna waste my cooking skills on something that’s not staying put.”

“When you can keep solids down consistently, we’ll make a huge dinner to celebrate it.” Lup grinned. “Hey, you remember what the doctor said about your dietary restrictions, right?”

“Uhh, stay on a liquid diet for a week, then keep wheat, sugar, and alcohol out of my diet for the most part.” Taako took another sip from his water bottle. “Which is gonna suck, but it beats dying again.”

“You didn’t die, dingus,” Lup rolled her eyes. “You only went unconscious for a few days, your heart never stopped.”

“Eh, same difference,” he smirked, throwing a small bit of torn up paper napkin at her. “So, do you know when the parentals are coming over tomorrow?”

“Knowing them, it’ll be way too early.” Lup laughed. “They didn’t give a time, but they have a key and know if you’re sleeping, to leave you be for a bit. I’m actually gonna head home soon, I haven’t had a long shower and eight hours of sleep in a little bit. Just wanted to make sure you were okay here before heading out.” Taako nodded, pushing himself up to grab a bowl from the cupboard. He felt bad taking over his loved one’s lives like that. So, even if he wasn’t totally comfortable alone there that night, he wasn’t about to ask Lup to stay with him. Besides, he could walk around by himself with only minimal discomfort, and Lup had already made him dinner. He would be fine for the night. At least, he hoped he would be.

“I can take it from here, go home and take a long-ass shower and cuddle with your husband for at least eight hours,” he teased. “To be honest, I’ll probably finish this meal, drink some water, and pass back out for the night. It’d be boring for you to have to stay here.”

“I’ll let you eat in private, Taako.” Lup gave him a small smile. “Oh, and Ren promised to be up tonight in case you needed someone. She said she’d just be up playing Red Dead 2 for the fourth time, so you wouldn’t be bothering her much. We’re all kinda on hiatus with the show for the time being, which means we’ve all got the free time to bug you as much as we want.”

“Can’t wait to make you all annoyed by my constant texts and invitations to help with the thousand-piece puzzles I’ve been too busy to complete up until now.”

“Oh, call Barry for that one. There’s two things that man gets horny for in this world: puzzles with more than eight hundred pieces, and me.” Lup cackled.

“Gross, get out of my house,” Taako fake gagged. He started pushing his sister towards the front door and she reached past him to grab a hoodie from the kitchen table before heading out the door. “If I’m up when they get here, I’ll let you know when the dads have entered the building.”

“We’ll try to be here at some point, depending on when I actually get my ass out of bed.” Lup grinned. “Love you!”

“Love you too, Lulu.” Taako waved a little as she closed the front door behind her. He trudged back to the kitchen to eat the soup that was still simmering on the stove. He was used to being by himself in his apartment, but it felt so much more quiet after having had people around all the time for the past few days. He didn’t feel lonely; at least, he didn’t think he did. It just felt wrong after the constant company. 

At least he was able to be alone to eat for the first time in a few days. Having everyone watch him and make sure he’d had something was a nightmare, and it reminded him too much of how he’d thought others would react to him after finding out he struggled with his self-image, specifically with food and eating. But now, he knew he had to have something, and at this point, he wasn’t feeling as self-conscious about his food intake.

For the first time in a week, Taako pulled out his phone to check social media. Immediately, he regretted it. Everything was talking about the Sizzle It Up incident, where Taako was, what that meant for the show, and he felt overwhelmed. Scrolling through a few articles, Taako’s head started to spin, and he set his phone face down on the table. He closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. The thought of having to go back and do the show sent a shock of anxiety through his system. He didn’t want to think about having to be Taako From TV, he just wanted to think about going to bed and not getting up to be sick in the bathroom. 

Barry’s words from a few days prior rang in his mind. He was free to take a break; to recover first and think about the show in his own time. But for a moment, Taako thought about the possibility of not going back. Just existing as Taako, the human being with feelings and no brand to keep up. It was tempting, but for then he needed to focus on the small things. Finishing his bowl of soup, getting in pajamas, and getting himself into bed. Tomorrow, he’d be with his family, and after then, it didn’t matter yet. He could just take it as it came. And that was all he needed to ease his mind.

The next morning, Taako managed to drag himself into the bathroom and take a quick shower. It wasn’t much, but the small victory of being somewhat productive felt good. He even changed into clean sweats and a cozy sweater afterwards, not just settling for the clothes he’d worn the day before. Taako had just settled down on the couch when he heard keys in the front door, and a soft knock before a familiar voice filled his apartment.

“Knock knock, you awake?” Davenport called out as he let himself into the apartment. Taako sat up from his place on the couch and waved sleepily.

“Hi dad,” he pulled his cardigan tighter around himself. Merle came in as well and Taako’s tired smile widened. “Hey, other dad.”

“We’ve been so worried about you, kiddo,” Merle gave him a tight hug. “Lu’s been filling us in on everything.”

“How are you feeling today?” Davenport sat down in front of him, reaching forward to feel his forehead for a fever. “It’s been a few days since the incident, I’m sorry we couldn’t be here sooner to see you in the hospital.”

“I’m doin’ okay. Not great, stomach fuckin’ aches and I can’t keep a lot of food down, but I’m here.” Taako smiled at his parents. He hadn’t seen them in person since the holidays, so both of them coming into the city was a pleasant surprise. In any other circumstance, he’d be very excited to spend quality time with them and have planned an activity for every hour. But for the time being, he was just glad his dads were there with him.

“You don’t feel warm, which is good. Fever’s a sign of infection so you should be on the mend.” Davenport nodded. “We brought you a few things, Lup told us you can keep lighter soups down so I made a few containers of my roasted red pepper and tomato soup for you to keep in the fridge.”

“And ginger’s good for your stomach, so I have a jar of loose ginger tea I made with a few other dried herbs, ‘n I also got some candied ginger that might be good if you’re feeling in the mood for a snack once you can eat a little more.” Merle chimed in from the kitchen as he began unpacking the giant canvas bag they’d brought with.

“You guys didn’t have to do all of that for me,” Taako chuckled, reaching for his water bottle. “I’ve been okay getting by here.”

“C’mon, did you think we’d let our favorite son down in his time of need?”

“He’s our only son, Dav. But all the more reason to take care of him.” Merle came into the living room, holding a mug of tea out towards Taako. He carefully took a sip and winced a little.

“Gonna have to get used to the taste of ginger. But I appreciate it.” Taako relaxed slightly, gesturing for the two of them to sit down.

It wasn’t like Merle and Davenport to hover. From the time they became the twins’ foster parents when Lup and Taako were thirteen, they’d always been the “cool parents.” Sure, Davenport would make sure they did their homework and chores and urged them to try their hardest in everything. But he also didn’t punish them for failed tests. Or, freak out when he caught them smoking weed in senior year of high school, just advising that they save it for when they were older. And Merle was always the more chill one. He was the one to insist on taking them to get ice cream every weekend, and let them rent R rated movies at sleepovers. So, to see Merle fretting over Taako and making a special tea just so he had an easier recovery made him realize just how concerned his dads were.

“I don’t know how much she’s told you this, but Lup’s been… Really worried about you.” Davenport sighed. “I can tell you’re infinitely better than how she said you were doing the first night, but she still worries.”

“I figured. Lulu’s got that older sister mentality even if it’s just by a few minutes. And I was hospitalized, I can understand her being super worried.”

“We mostly came by to see you, but she also wanted to get someone else’s opinion on how you’re doing.” Merle said, toying with the folded up sleeve resting against his upper arm absentmindedly. “But we don’t have to talk about all of this now. We can just catch up. Want to see some photos from our beach trip two weeks ago?” He dug his flip phone from the fanny pack around his waist.

“Let me guess, there’s at least two recurring photos you’ve taken every trip. Dav with a bright red spot because he’s missed a few places with the sunscreen, and you posing on the ground because he made you a “sand prosthetic” that looks like a giant dick in place of your right arm?” Taako chuckled, leaning over to look at Merle’s phone.

“See, I told you we’re too predictable.” Davenport playfully kissed his husband’s cheek. The three of them chatted lightly for hours, until Taako started feeling sick later in the evening. By that time, Lup and Barry had shown up and managed to keep the conversation light.

“We’ll be back tomorrow. Lup wants to cook family dinner here, so we’ll let you have the rest of your night to yourself before we monopolize your day tomorrow, too.” Merle nudged him with his shoulder. “Drink some tea, try to see if the soup will stay down, and get plenty of rest, mmkay?”

“Sure thing. Thanks, guys… I love you a lot.” Taako hugged them both.

“We love you too, kiddo.” Davenport ruffled his hair. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you then,” he nodded. His parents left the apartment and Taako groaned and pushed himself up, shuffling off towards the bathroom. He heard Lup and Barry still chattering lightly, and crouched down beside the toilet once more. After about ten minutes, he heard a soft knock and by the time he managed to get over to the door, all that was there was his water bottle and a pillow. Taako cracked a small smile, knowing Lup had left it, and managed to shuffle back into the living room to see Lup draped across Barry’s lap, sticking her tongue out as she made her husband take a picture with her.

“Make sure you get Barold’s left side, that’s his best angle,” Taako chimed in, clutching the pillow to his chest. Lup sat up, smiling as she made eye contact with him.

“Feel any better?”

“A little. Head fuckin hurts now, but that’s just how it is sometimes.” He flopped himself down in the nearest armchair, taking a swig from his water bottle. “I just gotta sleep a little bit and it’ll all be good. That’s kinda my state of being now; sleep, wake up, start feeling shitty after a few hours, and sleep again.”

“At least you’ve got a schedule going.” Barry chuckled in response. Taako reached for his phone on the coffee table and scrolled for a bit, chewing his lip the entire time.

“Hey, don’t keep going if it’s stressing you out.” Lup spoke up. “I can see it in your eyes, you just need to stay off social media for a bit.”

“Right,” Taako breathed, putting his phone face down on the table again. Lup reached for it, deleting a few things before handing it back.

“Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are gone now. Just focus on that cat game you love so much and also the horrifying Snapchat filters you constantly send to me and Mags at 3 am.”

“Thanks, Lulu…” Taako muttered, hugging his knees. “Apparently people really want me back for the show. Every comment was something like ‘Hope he recovers soon! I can’t wait for more recipes!’ Like, I get that they’re… I dunno, trying to be supportive. But it feels like the show’s all they care about.”

“Which is exactly why you should stop reading it. You just need to take some time for you, make decisions for yourself, and not worry about anyone else.” Barry chimed in.

“Thanks, dad,” Taako stuck his tongue out at him, though the grin on his face made it evident he didn’t mean it. The three of them turned on a movie and chattered for a bit before Taako rolled onto the floor and fell asleep quickly. He knew Lup and Barry would just head to the guest room for the night, but he didn’t want to bother walking all the way down the hall to sleep in his own bed. And the living room floor was closer to the bathroom anyway, so that in itself was a win for him. He just hoped Lup and Barry wouldn’t accidentally step on him on their way to the guest room.


	3. Chapter 3

A month. That’s how long he’d been out of the hospital, and also how long he’d gone without leaving his apartment. At first, it was because he felt too sick to leave, and preferred staying within a few feet of his bathroom. But then, he started to get anxious about going out. The thought of a ton of people with cameras camped out to ask a million questions made his stomach turn more than the first night he was out of the hospital. Luckily, his friends and family were more than willing to help with groceries and coming over to spend time with him. He felt a little guilty about it, but the alternative scared him too much.

“Ren, do you… Think I’m being too isolated?” Taako chewed his lip nervously, not setting down his controller. “I know I’m not fully ready to go back to the show, but I know if I go somewhere, someone’s going to ask me too many questions.” Ren paused the game they were playing and turned to face him, looking him over for a moment.

“I think you’re really isolated, but I understand where you’re coming from.” She tapped her fingers against her knee. “Do you  _ want  _ to go out?”

“Honestly? Yeah. A lot,” he sighed deeply, ducking his head down in embarrassment. “But for some reason, the idea of it freaks me out too badly and I just try and tuck that away.”

“How about this: we make some lunch and head down to the park by my house for a picnic. It’s less busy on that side of town, and if you just wear something out of the ordinary, nobody’s gonna think twice about it. How do you usually dress to go out?” Ren stood up.

“Usually a short-sleeved button down, some makeup, my hair either curled or in the same braid I always wear on the show. Always flashy, though.”

“Okay, so we put you in a grey hoodie, put your hair in a bun, and you just wear some dark jeans! Less attention on you, and not feeling like “Taako from TV out on the town,” but really just… Taako, some dude hanging out with his friend at the park.” Ren offered.

“That sounds like a good plan,” Taako chuckled, pushing himself up. “Let me change and we can make food and head out.”

“I’ll drive!” She walked over to the tv, turning it off and heading over to the kitchen to make some sandwiches. Taako went to his room, picking out a plain outfit to change into. It seemed like an okay plan, as long as he didn’t overthink it. The two of them headed out to the parking garage and headed out. As they passed the front of the building, Taako noticed that there was no one waiting outside.

“Huh…” He felt a wave of calm wash over him as he realized it wasn’t as big of a deal as he was making it out to be in his mind. But that was soon replaced by his stomach twisting as another thought popped into his head: Did nobody even think about him anymore? It seemed irrational, for sure. It’d only been a month, no one was going to completely forget about Taako’s existence. But the thought that, if he decided to return to the spotlight, no one would care was just a little too stressful to ponder on for too long.

“See? Almost nobody’s here!” Ren beamed as they pulled up to the park. She took out the small cooler from the backseat of her car, and the two of them found a big tree to sit beneath. “It’s honestly the perfect day for a picnic too: It’s a Tuesday so most people are at work or school, it’s like 60 degrees out, and it’s not even summer yet so there’s almost no bugs!”

“It  _ is  _ really nice,” Taako nodded, still nervously looking around. Upon realizing nobody was looking their way, he relaxed a little and began to eat the sandwich Ren had packed. “Um, Ren? Can I ask you something?”

“What’s up?” She looked him over.

“Do you ever… Feel bad that it’s just been me for most of the Sizzle It Up show on tv?”

“Honestly? Not really.” She scooted over so she was closer to Taako, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to feel guilty about being the face of the show, ‘Ko. I still work on the show with you, just not in front of the cameras like when we were just doing it at your place.” He looked unconvinced and Ren sighed. “If I were upset about it, I wouldn’t even work on the show anymore. I’d have left a while ago. I’m just happy to still be working on our passion project, whether or not I’m a big part of it,” she nudged him playfully. “Hell, if I was upset, I probably wouldn’t have stayed friends with you! And look at us now, having a picnic in the park just for the hell of it.”

“Right, yeah… I just… I feel a little guilty about it, especially since it’s given me a lot of fame since it started airing on tv. And, I dunno, I guess I wish I were sharing more of it with you.” Taako lay back on the blanket, staring up at the sky. Ren settled down beside him and they quietly watched the clouds go by wordlessly for a while. “If I decide to not go back to being on the show… You won’t be angry about that, right?”

“If you drop the show, I’ll support whatever you want to do. Unless it’s illegal. I won’t join your drug ring, and I’m not going to smuggle counterfeit jewelry across the border.” Ren snorted as Taako chuckled to himself. “We all want you to be happy, Taako. No matter what that means for you.” She watched for a moment as he finished his sandwich, reaching for the small bag of chips they’d packed. “I’m really proud of you, Taako.”

“Hmm? Why?” He raised an eyebrow, munching on a few chips.

“Because before the incident, you’d hate going to lunch or eating more than a few bites in front of anyone. I know you didn’t wanna talk about it, but I know losing that much weight that fast to look good on camera wasn’t good for you.”

“Oh, uh… Yeah.” Taako suddenly felt self-conscious, setting the bag down. He never wanted to bring it up or talk about it, but he appreciated that she noticed. It wasn’t like he hid it; Taako could list at least a dozen occasions when he’d take no more than three bites at a meal with his friends, and he always made excuses as to why he wasn’t eating. But having someone tell him they were proud of him felt… Better than he thought it would be. “Thanks,” he said quietly, toying with his hands as he averted his eyes down to his lap. Ren took his hands carefully and lifted his chin to look at her.

“I mean it. I promise not to bring it up again if you don’t want me to, but I just wanted to make sure you knew.” She smiled. “I’ll stop watching you eat, I’ll stare at some clouds now.”

“Nah, you don’t have to.” Taako picked the bag up once more, but didn’t eat as quickly as he had been before. Ren had always been silently supportive. He never mentioned it, but she caught on to his eating habits and did little things to help whenever she could. Excusing herself to go to the bathroom, or even just a different room while he was eating so he could have more privacy, making sure she didn’t give him more food than he’d eat while making sure he still got a meal. Her silent support had always meant a lot to him.

“We can stop talking about it now, don’t worry. I’ll just go back to telling you that if you go off the deep end and start a circus or some shit, I’ll probably still support you. We’re both clowns anyways, that would definitely be the best case scenario. You can finally use your training!”

“Please don’t bring up me and Lup’s clowning summer camps from high school,” Taako whined. “Nobody can know about that,  _ or  _ the fact that I’m seriously thinking of a career change in that realm.”

“Beloved internet personality turned celebrity chef turned clown, I can see the headlines now!” Ren punched his arm lightly. Taako shoved her back, trying to suppress a grin. “Do you wanna head back now, or stay a little bit longer?”

“Mmm, let’s stay for a bit. The sun feels good,” he lay back on the blanket. “I might fall asleep, just a heads up.”

“I’ll nap with you, don’t worry,” Ren snorted as she settled down beside him. He closed his eyes, feeling a light breeze picking up.

“Holy shit, is that Taako? From TV?” A voice called out, immediately causing Taako’s stomach to drop with anxiety. Ren sat up, letting out a deep sigh.

“Nah, you got the wrong guy. He gets that a lot, kind of a curse, really.” Taako took a shaky breath, keeping his eyes closed.

“Oh, sorry!”

“No biggie, have a good one!” Ren waited till they’d left, then nudged Taako. “‘S all good, Ko. They actually bought it.” She carefully took his hand. “Wanna go home?” Taako just nodded, slowly sitting up.

“At least they believed you. I got worried for a second.” He shook his head as they packed the basket up. If he were given the chance, he’d give up all fame to try and be normal. Or, at least have a Hannah Montana situation where he could still be normal. Having to plan his life around trying to not be noticed was exhausting, hence why he’d stayed home for an entire month. They headed back to his apartment, and Ren laughed softly as he lay face down on the living room rug.

“Need anything from me?”

“A blanket?” He lifted his head slightly. “Maybe a pillow?”

“On it.” Ren reached down to the couch, picking up a pillow and blanket and tossing them onto the floor, hitting Taako with a soft thud.

“Thanks,” he muttered, burying his face in the pillow.

“I’ll leave you to it. Let me know if you need anything more, okay? I’m gonna head home for the night!”

“Have a good evening, Ren,” he lifted his head up once more. “Thanks for the picnic.”

“Any time. Love you!” She grabbed her keys, heading out of the apartment. Taako let his head down again, groaning slightly. Everything seemed so much more exhausting after not being in the public eye. Even hearing someone recognize him out at the park caused him intense anxiety. It was a lot to handle, and Taako just wished he could do something else about it. For then, he just needed to take time for himself, and figure out what he was going to do once his stomach stopped feeling like shit 24/7.


	4. Chapter 4

Taako looked at the front of the tabloid newspaper, then looked up at the mirror in front of him, frowning slightly. It had been a little over two months of recovery at home, trying to stay out of the public eye. Meaning, he’d really just stayed at home for two months, with his friends dropping by to help out occasionally, or just to spend time with him. But, in those two months, Taako had grown more and more disillusioned with who he’d been and the life he’d lived for so long. And was finally starting to work on his recovery for his… Dysfunctional eating habits, and that realization of how unhealthy he’d been before then was only the tip of the iceberg.

Since, for the foreseeable future, he was stepping out of the spotlight, Taako desperately wanted to make a change. He didn’t know what he wanted, but he could feel the itch that came before impulsive decisions. A big change was needed now, he had to get away from his Taako From TV image. He raised an eyebrow before undoing his braid and it suddenly hit him. Before any other thoughts came through his mind, Taako grabbed a pair of scissors from the bathroom drawer in front of him and began hacking away at his hair, letting the blonde ends fall to the ground.

It took way too long before he felt satisfied, and he pushed the choppy cut back on his head, parting it just right. It wasn’t perfect, but that’s what he liked about it. Maybe he could convince Lup to help shave the sides of his head to bring it all together. At least for now, he looked like a completely different person than the paper in front of him. And that’s all he wanted.

He picked up his phone, snapping a quick photo in the mirror while throwing on a stupid caption to go with it. “When you have a mental breakdown and decide to just fuck up your hair,” he muttered to himself as he typed, adding a few gratuitous emojis before sending it to Lup, Magnus, and Ren. As he’d predicted, Lup was calling him within seconds.

“Hey Lulu,” he answered the video call, throwing up a peace sign.

“Explain your thought process, Koko,” she didn’t even bother with a real greeting. “Like, I support you, but what drove you to chop it all off?”

“I dunno,” he sighed, setting his phone against the mirror. “I just kept seeing those paparazzi photos of me and it just feels… Fake? The fuckin long blonde braid just started to feel like more of a brand image than any real identity, and I was sick of it.”

“Want me to bring my clippers over and help make it look like a normal person’s haircut?” Lup offered, smiling at him.

“I was just gonna ask.” He laughed. “You’re not worried about me or anything?”

“You’re fresh out of the hospital and struggling with your self-image and fame, of  _ course  _ I’m worried about you!” Lup shook her head before walking around her room, throwing a few things into a bag. “But, I’m not gonna question it yet and I’m gonna let you get it out of your system because you’ve gone for almost a decade without some kind of break and you deserve this.” She looked him over before smirking. “Plus, you almost look like a 90s nightmare with those slightly blonde ends, you have that frosted tips look going on.” Her comment made Taako look at himself in the mirror once more, groaning.

“Please come over, I need your help to look normal.”

“Say no more, I’m on my way. Tell your bougie doorman that I’m coming.” She laughed, walking out of her room and grabbing her keys.

“He knows we have the same face and you’re over multiple times a week, I haven’t had to tell him anything in  _ years _ .” Taako smiled at her. “Thanks in advance.”

“I’ll be about fifteen minutes, so clean up what you need to. Love you!” Lup shot him a finger gun before ending the call. Taako had a moment to breathe before another call came in, but luckily Magnus wasn’t using video.

“Hey Mags, like the breakdown hairdo?” Taako answered the phone, grabbing a broom from the closet in the bathroom.

“Should I cut off my ponytail in solidarity?” Magnus almost sounded serious.

“Leave your hair, homie. Besides, you pull off the classic messy bun better than anyone else, you can’t sacrifice that!” He swept up the long clumps of hair from the floor.

“We could’ve done a fun bonding activity, we just braid our hair into friendship bracelets together. Some kinda creepy bro gesture. Could’ve gotten Merle in on it too, he’d sacrifice some of his hair in the name of friendship.”

“I’m surprised this idea didn’t come from him directly. That idea has “crunchy dad trying to be hip with his kids” written all over it.” Taako tossed the hair into the trash can. “Anyway, it’s too late now. Hair’s already in the garbage.”

“You could’ve sold it on ebay, make some serious money.” Magnus teased. “Y’know, as opposed to the pitiful amounts of money you get paid to post a clearly posed picture using a brand of cookware you’d never use unless you were being paid.”

“I don’t think it would sell as well as the time you took pics of Ren in my cat ear headphones to establish her as a gamer girl, and  _ then  _ bought socks in bulk to cover in her perfume and sell to creeps.” Taako hopped up onto the counter, swinging his legs. “Lup’s on her way to fix the shitty cut I gave myself. She’s got years of experience with the short hair and undercut she had in college, so I trust her.”

“Also because she’s your sister and she’d do anything to help you out,” Taako heard Lup’s voice from the bathroom doorway. “I let myself in,” she set down her keys and a black case where she kept her clippers onto the counter.

“Hey Lup, I told Taako that I’d chop my ponytail off in solidarity if he wanted me to,” Magnus spoke up from Taako’s phone. “But he told me to keep it.”

“If you want, I’ll give you a subtle undercut under the ponytail and try to shave a paw print in there.” Lup grinned. “Go full Blue’s Clues.”

“That’s not a bad idea, I might take you up on that.” Magnus laughed. “I’ll let you get to his haircut, send me a pic when he’s all fixed up! Love you guys!”

“Love you too!” Lup and Taako chimed in in unison. Lup pulled out the clippers and plugged them in, looking for the right attachment.

“Put everything you want longer in as much of a ponytail as you can manage,” she handed him a hair tie, her voice much softer than before. “I’ll work on the initial shave, and then touch up while you tell me how you’re feeling.”

“It’s… A lot.” Taako sighed, pulling a few bits of his hair up. “You want full honesty?”

“Always.” She flashed him an encouraging smile.

“I don’t know if I even  _ want  _ to try and get back to how things were,” he paused for a moment, furrowing his brows as he collected his thoughts. “Once I stepped out of the spotlight for a bit, I realized how long it’s been since I’ve taken a real break. Even when we’ve been on vacation, it’s taking constant pictures for social media and keeping up with everything. And now that I’ve all but abandoned that… It’s really nice to take a step back and breathe.” Taako shot her a look, cracking a small smile. “And I’ve even been eating three meals a day. No skipping, no excuses as to why I won’t eat… Body image is still fucked, but there’s that.”

“So, if me and Barry were to have been, say, working on finding a little place for you out of the city where you can relax and have more privacy, you’d want that?” She smiled as she cut his hair.

“Wait, you’ve been doing what?” Taako raised an eyebrow, not wanting to turn his head to look at her while she was cutting his hair.

“Since I’m  _ technically _ your assistant and Bar’s  _ technically  _ your PR guy and lawyer, we’ve taken on a side project since there’s nothing else we’re doing while you’re out of the public eye.” She grinned at him in the mirror. “We found a little place on the outskirts of the Felicity Wilds, an hour drive out of Neverwinter. It’s a cute farmhouse with a sprawling forest behind it,  _ and  _ it’s right outside a small city so you’ve still got a Target and a few grocery stores and restaurants and shit like that nearby.” Lup paused, examining his expression. “Is that okay with you?”

“Y’know,” Taako chewed on his lip for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I think that’s more than okay.”

“Personally, I think it’ll be good for you.” Lup went quiet, going back to cutting his hair. The two of them sat in silence, the only sound being the scissors that felt louder with each passing moment. “Taako, if, um…” Lup started, then paused to take a deep breath. “If you never want to come back and do the show, if you just want a chance at being normal again, nobody’s going to be upset with you. I want you to know that. Just do what makes you happy, okay?” She gave him a small, cautious smile.

“I will,” Taako grinned. “I’ll make sure I’m the most selfish I’ve ever been.” He finally looked at himself in the mirror and his smile grew even wider. “Hey, my hair looks fuckin great! I haven’t seen it this dark in…. Over a decade, I think?”

“I think your short hair kicks ass, it’s a thousand times better than the long blonde braid you’ve been rocking for so long,” Lup ruffled his hair playfully before brushing the hair off of his shoulders. “Alright, that’s gonna be 250 bucks, Ko. My services are usually 500 but you get the friends and family discount.”

“Done, you can take it from the jar hidden under the living room couch.” Taako laughed.

“You say “hidden,” but we both know it rolled under there years ago and you haven’t bothered to bring it back out.” Lup teased.

“It’s only about 7, d’ya wanna order some takeout and watch some garbage reality tv?” Taako stretched, looking her over.

“I’d love to, Koko. Is it cool if I invite Bar to come over? He hasn’t seen you in a bit and I know he’d love to join us too.”

“Fuck yeah, invite Barold over! He can sit between us on the couch and we can bug him the whole night, just like when you and I were roommates a few years back, before you two got married.” The two of them walked out to the living room, Taako picking his laptop up off of the coffee table. “I’ll go ahead and order from the really good Mexican place town the street, you and Barry still have your same orders?”

“Mmhmm, same as usual. Glad you have the same good taste I do, they make tortillas the way Tía used to,” she pulled out her phone, calling Barry and turning it to speaker phone. “Hey babe, do you wanna come over and watch garbage tv with us? Taako’s ordering Mexican and I decided we need to watch something from TLC.”

“Of course! Gimme 20 to finish up some paperwork, and I’ll be right over.” Barry’s chipper voice came through the phone. “Want me to bring anything?”

“Only that cute ass of yours,” Lup giggled, then started laughing harder at Taako’s whine of protests.

“You  _ cannot  _ talk like that when I already have a weak stomach! I’m gonna barf!” Taako complained, throwing a pillow at his sister.

“I’ll be there soon, tell Taako that this ass is coming over regardless,” Barry snorted. “Love you guys, I’ll see you in 20 minutes!” He hung up, and Lup threw the pillow back at Taako.

A few hours later after the three had finished dinner and long since abandoned paying attention to the tv, Lup had fallen asleep on the couch. She was laying across both Taako and Barry’s laps like a cat, keeping them both there. Taako was hugging a pillow to his chest, just watching the flickering shadows the tv cast on the room around them.

“Did Lu tell you about the house?” Barry spoke up quietly.

“Yeah, she did. I think it’ll be nice to have a change of space,” Taako gave him a weak smile. Barry slightly shifted to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Everything okay?”

“Nah, not really. I’ve been thinking… Way too much about who I’ve been for the last five years,” he toyed with one of the tassels on the pillow in his arms. “Barry, have I been kind of an asshole?”

“To me? No. To most everyone else? A little bit,” Barry nodded. “Well, more like a lot. But I get it. You went from being a guy in your shitty apartment in the suburbs filming videos with your friends on the weekends to being a multi-millionaire with a brand and your own tv show. It couldn’t have been an easy adjustment.” He reached out to take Taako’s hand.

“I’m just realizing how shitty I’ve been for so long and I really hate that guy,” Taako muttered.

“Hey, you know what?” Barry squeezed his hand. “The fact that you’re upset about it means you’re not a total asshole. You’re a good guy who’s just been confused and struggling with your identity for a bit.” 

“That’s the worst part, I don’t even know who I fucking am anymore. The stupid college kid goofing around in videos with his buddies doesn’t feel like me, and the famous dick who treats people outside of his small circle like shit doesn’t feel like who I am either.” Taako shook his head.

“I think you’ll be able to find yourself a lot easier once you’re out of this environment for a while.” Barry smiled at him. “Even a week without your fancy apartment and a crowd of people recognizing you at every turn is gonna do wonders for your self-discovery.”

“‘Specially since I just chopped all my fuckin’ hair off and I haven’t worn makeup in two months so no one’s gonna know who I am,” Taako grinned at him. The two of them were quiet for a bit, then Taako squeezed Barry’s hand once more. “Thanks, Barold. You guys have always been there, and I appreciate you.”

“That’s what family’s for, ‘Ko. We love you, and we’re always gonna support you.” Barry shifted slightly, pulling the still-sleeping Lup more onto his lap than Taako’s, setting him free. “You should get some sleep. I’ll clean up out here.”

“You sure?” Taako pushed himself up. “I can help…”

“Yeah, I got it. You’ve had a long day, I can pick up a few half-eaten enchiladas and put them in the fridge for leftovers,” he snorted. Barry carefully picked up Lup, trying not to wake her, and lay her across the couch before picking up the food from the coffee table.

“Thanks. See you two in the morning?” Taako gave him a sleepy grin.

“We’ll be here. Lup might stay on the couch all night, but I’ll be in the guest room if you need.” Barry waved a little, then gestured down the hall. “Get some rest, Taako.”

“Will do, Barry,” he laughed a little to himself before heading down the hall towards his room. Barry and Lup were both right. Some time away would be perfect. He was starting to feel a little claustrophobic in his own apartment and started to get more anxious about leaving the house, for fear of being recognized and bombarded with questions as to why he wasn’t working on the show. Fresh air, a yard, and a smaller city where people were less likely to recognize him was exactly what he needed. He was excited at the idea, and couldn’t wait to get started.


	5. Chapter 5

Taako closed the car door behind him, looking up at the old house. It was on the edge of the forest, trees stretching as far out as he could see behind it. The white exterior with ivy growing up the sides gave it an extra rustic feel. It was a super charming house, albeit a place Taako never thought he would live. If they’d asked him a few months ago, he’d have requested some kind of minimalist mansion with too many windows and no personality. But now, he was thrilled by the place already. And he hadn’t even seen the interior.

Lup and Barry had been there for a week already, having taken some time off to help renovate the house for him. There wasn’t much needed to be done. The old owners kept the place furnished, mostly newer furniture with a few antiques from the original family who lived there. All the two of them did was repaint a few rooms, and added some decorations and details from Taako’s old apartment. While Taako was admiring a small decorative well along the side of the house, Lup walked out of the front door, adjusting the bandanna she was using for a headband. Taako looked over, a smile spreading across his face.

“Dads lied, they said this place looked haunted when they stopped by to drop off some furniture,” he called out to her, cracking a small smile. “Just looks like a cute little farmhouse to me.”

“Their house looks more haunted than this place,” Lup snorted in response, hopping down the stairs from the porch. She picked up the suitcase he’d set down, heading back towards the house. “How was the drive?”

“Honestly, it was nice. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this far out of the city, work’s really taken over my life apparently.” He looked around. “It’s so green out here, I didn’t realize how bland Neverwinter looks in comparison. And it’s really quiet. I might have to get a white noise machine or something after living with constant city bustle in the background.”

“Oh, you’re gonna love it out here. Last night, the frogs were  _ so  _ loud. And, oh my god Koko, the sky at night! I hadn’t seen this many stars out since we were living with Tía as kids.” Lup turned around to face him. “It’s honestly making me wish I’d thought of this sooner. And that I had a place out here too.”

“Hey, we’re here now, right?” Taako grinned. “Besides, you know you’re more than welcome to move in with me.” Lup led the way into the house and set the suitcase down.

“Shoe cubby’s right there, me and Bar have been working hard to make sure this house is as pristine as it is.” She walked backwards into the living room. “Okay, so this was the first room we finished! The couches are the same as they were when we first got here, but we added pillows and a matching ottoman. And the coffee table here used to be part of a bookshelf, but Mags helped and turned half of it into the shoe cubby in the entryway, and half of it into this table!”

“He’s really done a whole lot, we’re lucky to have him,” Taako heard Barry chime in as he came around the corner into the room. “But that’s just what he told me to say when you finally showed up,” Barry joked. “How’ve you been feeling?” he asked in the most fatherly voice imaginable as he sat down on the arm of the couch. “Haven’t seen you in a week or two.”

“Kinda shitty, but I haven’t thrown up in about a month, so that’s progress! The fuckin’ acid reflux I have now sucks, though.” Taako cracked a small smile. “I’ve accepted that I’ll wake up at 3 am with bad stomach pains every night and be awake for an hour. That’s just me now.”

“Solidarity, I’ll chug a glass of milk and we’ll both be up too late in intestinal distress,” Barry teased, punching his arm lightly. “Do you have anything else to carry in from the car?”

“Yeah, couple-a boxes in the backseat and the trunk.” Taako started walking towards the entryway. “I can get some too!”

“Only if you really want to, don’t push yourself too hard. I’m capable of carrying a few boxes inside.”

“I’ll come with ya, no biggie!” Taako grinned, following Barry out of the house.

“So, did Lu tell you we set you up an alias for the house’s paperwork and everything? Just so nobody finds where you live and leaks your address like what happened in Neverwinter a few years back.”

“Oh yeah, thanks for that. My fake name “Justin McElroy” sounds super dumb. That’s clearly made up,” Taako snorted in response. They unloaded the rest of the boxes from the car, and Taako wandered around the house. He couldn’t have hidden the smile on his face even if he wanted to. There was a small office and bathroom downstairs in addition to the living room and kitchen. Upstairs, there were three rooms, one of which had been renovated into a sort of library. The others were normal bedrooms, but upon entering the last one, Taako gasped.

“No fucking  _ way _ ! A window seat?!” Taako ran to the window, immediately taking a seat on the small cushion.

“I knew you’d be hyped about that, you’ve been talking about wanting a little window seat since we were tiny. It’s also a chest, if you lift the cushion there’s some storage! You could hide your limited edition hardcover Twilight Saga collection in there so nobody shames you for it.” Lup teased. “How do you feel about the place?”

“It’s so perfect, Lu,” Taako stood up, wrapping his sister up in a tight hug. “It’s nothing like what I imagined my future house to be, but somehow it’s even better.”

“We figured a big change would be nice for you. You’ve had your apartment for a few years now, and your borderline-minimalist decor was depressing to look at. Now you’ve got some cheesy grandma decorations, like the weird paintings of flowers and birds above the stove.” She laughed. “I’m excited for you to settle in and really make it your own.”

“I don’t even know where to start with that, but I’m sure as I live in it more, it’ll start to feel more like home. I mean, fuck, it already feels so cozy and comfortable, I know it’s not gonna take much more.”

“You could start with putting up your nerd posters,” Lup teased.

“Excuse you, my Sailor Moon posters aren’t nerdy, they’re pastel and adorable, and make any room better!” Taako dropped his jaw and placed a hand on his chest in mock offense. “You don’t know what real art is, Lulu.”

“C’mon, you weeb, let’s get your Ikea furniture put together before me and Bar pass out in the guest room,” Lup punched his arm lightly before dragging him downstairs. The three of them worked for a few hours, then Magnus joined to help unpack. Taako appreciated that his loved ones cared enough to help him out so much. Around ten that night, Barry and Lup left to get some sleep, leaving Taako and Magnus alone to enjoy the night. Taako sat on the porch steps, looking up at the stars, while Magnus sat beside him whittling a small piece of wood.

“Do you miss when we lived in a tiny town?” Taako spoke up, looking over at Magnus. “Our small graduating class with like… How many people, fifty?”

“Something like that,” Magnus chuckled. “I do miss it, actually. Not the school, but Twosun was a cute little town. Moving to Neverwinter was great for college, and then your career, but there’s a charm to a little town like that. That’s why I’m glad you’re out here.” He set his knife down, putting an arm around Taako, who leaned into his embrace. “How’re you feeling?”

“Physically? Actually doin’ pretty okay. Mentally? Well… There’s a lot going on, but I’m optimistic,” Taako chuckled. “I’ll be fine, I think. If I just… Don’t think about the decision I eventually have to make.”

“Hey, I know you’ll be happy with whatever you choose. For now, I’m going to make up constellations and force you to listen to my shitty stories.” Magnus nudged him. “Does that sound good?”

“Yeah, sounds perfect.” Taako laughed, directing his attention back up at the sky. “What’s the story about that one? Kinda looks like a dick.”

“That’s actually Richard the Brave Warrior, Dick for short.” Magnus cleared his throat. “Legend has it that he would fuck and fight for days on end, as many great warriors did.”

“Damn, he really had it all…” Taako shook his head. Magnus continued talking, telling him about the legends and myths that definitely didn’t exist. Taako wouldn’t say it was  _ peaceful  _ necessarily, but the break from having to think about real problems was much needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all!! I'm super duper excited about this fic, I hope you enjoy it! :D It's the quickest I've written something, and it's also my longest completed work (so far, who knows if A Coast That's Unclear will get finished any time soon) so I'm thrilled with it!! Lemme know your thoughts on it, I'd love to hear what y'all are feeling abt this one!! Thank you so so so much for reading, I love you all! <3


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